American Misadventures
by Rage of Lunacy
Summary: Ichigo moves to Arizona to find his muse as a guitarist, but doesn't know that his friend's housemate is about to become his definition of inspiration. GrimmIchi/slight RenIchi. Multi-chap. MxM, don't like, don't read. Pretty simple. Rated T for language, themes, and everything else that comes with GrimmIchi. Bad summaries are bad, and AP students have no time.
1. Prologue

Ichigo glanced down at his watch, then back up at the departure panel. As expected, his father had gotten him to the airport almost on time. He'd have to hurry getting to security.

"Ichi-nii looks like one of those lost rockstars," Yuzu was giggling as she panned the camera she'd gotten her brother for his birthday across the family. Isshin was in the middle of one of his spaz attacks, on his hands and knees, crying out to Masaki that his son was growing up and moving to America without him. Karin was scolding him for acting childish while looking around with embarrassment painted across her face. Ichigo was standing by the flight times, guitar case in one hand, suitcase in the other, and duffle bag slung over his shoulder. His orange hair was being especially riotous today, fighting the fauxhawk he'd forced it into. He'd long abandoned the everywhere spikes, opting for something a little less ridiculous to deal with. It still looked overly spiky when he got up in the morning. Several earrings lined the cartilage of his ears, and a snakebite made itself starkly known against his lip as he anxiously chewed at it. Not caring what others thought, he'd slipped into his Voodoo shirt that Renji had sent from New Orleans. The back was made of lace, but he'd covered it with a grey hoodie that he never put the sleeves down on. Stressed skinny jeans that were a tad too big hung from his hips and disappeared into a pair of black kicks. Overall, he supposed that Yuzu's description fit.

Said girl had the camera turned toward her face and was telling the past month's story to whoever would end up watching that tape.

"Ichi-nii is going to America because he can't seem to find his muse here, whatever that means. I just hope he won't starve while he's there. I won't be there to cook for him, so he'll be on his own! Well, not completely. He's going to stay with Renji and some guy named Grimmjow. I'm glad Ichi-nii has friends he can be with while he's away from home. I know Ishida and Orihime and Sado are going to miss him!" Oh, sweet Yuzu. She hadn't quite caught on that Ichigo didn't plan on coming home for a while, even though she had walked in on him putting the stuffed lion he always left at home when he traveled in his suitcase. She'd even helped him pack most of his belongings into the one box that had been mailed to Renji last week.

"Yuzu, Ichi-nii's not coming home." And there was Karin, realistic as always. She'd taken the camera from her twin so the blonde-haired girl could talk her father off the floor.

"He'll come home for Christmas," Yuzu countered with a pout. She had a point, and if he couldn't, he'd call or get on Skype with them.

"I've gotta go, guys. I've gotta check in," Ichigo pointed out as he moved away from the screens. Someone else replaced him and instantly grumbled, just as he had. His family sobered up and the four trekked across the lobby together in a thick silence.

"You take care of yourself, son," Isshin ordered with unusual gravity in his tone. He pulled his first-born into a hug after baggage had been set down.

"I always do. Keep yourself sharp for the girls." As Ichigo pulled away, he looked at his sisters and almost dropped the trip completely. Both had tears streaming down their faces, though they fought to hold back sobs. The camera was carefully extracted from Karin's hand as the girls rushed their older brother.

Isshin's hands shook as he watched his children truly say goodbye for the first time. Ichigo had left many times before, but he'd always had a set day to be picked up at the airport or bus stop. This time, his little boy wouldn't be returning for quite some time. Not much was said between the three as they embraced, but the way they held each other told more than any word could. It was going to be hard for all of them to adjust. Ichigo kissed the tops of his sisters' heads and crushed them in one last bear hug. His eyes glistened wetly as he looked up at the camera, though he scowled and put his hand up. He always had been camera-shy. A proud father chuckled as he pressed the stop button and folded the camera closed, stooping down to tuck it into a pocket of his son's duffle bag.

"I love you guys. I'll call when I land in Phoenix," Ichigo promised as he sniffled and gathered his things.

"You better!" Yuzu clipped with the most heartbreaking, yet adorable pout on her face.

"Love you too, Ichi-nii." Karin's answer was short and quiet.

"Good luck, son."

And then he was gone, wading through the crowds of people and moving toward the uncertain future that waited for him across the Pacific. That goodbye was the hardest Ichigo had ever gone through, and he struggled to hold himself together through security and onto his plane. He was glad when he was able to nod off after take-off.

* * *

Almost a day and two lay-overs later, Ichigo stepped out into the harsh Arizona sun, already impatient in the heat. He felt like shit, and was pretty sure he looked like shit too.

"Anytime, Renj…" he muttered as he paused his music and dialed his dad's number, fully aware that it was late at home. Nobody answered, so he left a quick 'I'm here in one piece, love you' and shifted his attention to searching for his ride's car. His phone blared ULTRAnumb into his left ear, slightly adding to his frustration. It was hot, he was tired, and this song made him itch to pummel a punching bag. Especially after the whole Shuuhei fiasco. Ichigo shuddered; his ex was the last thing he wanted to think about.

"Ichigo!" He snapped his head to the right, instantly spotting the red-head waving at him from the side of a silver Jeep missing the top. Taking a minute to switch his music off, he picked up his suitcase and briskly Froggered his way across the road. The trunk was open and waiting, so he didn't hesitate in hefting his bags in it, carefully situating his guitar case before pushing it shut. He hadn't even turned around before Renji was crushing him a hug and murmuring idiotic sweet nothings into his hair, just to aggravate him.

It worked.

"Get off me, ya goof," Ichigo grumbled as he extracted himself from the comforting arms of his best friend.

"Sorry, Ichi. You know I hafta." Renji grinned as he rounded the car and got in through the gaping hole where the door was supposed to be. Ichigo wrapped his earbuds around his phone and shoved his phone in his pocket, following suit.

"By yourself?" Ichigo asked as he strapped himself in.

"Yeah, Blue had to work this morning. He should be home when we get there." Renji pulled out into traffic, lifting his hand and flipping off whoever honked at him. Ichigo snickered. Watching the man drive never ceased to entertain him.

"Cool. How long? I'm beat."

"Tucson's two hours south, Ich. Just like it always has been." Renji chuckled as he accelerated onto the highway, cranking the radio up so the two could hear it over the wind. It was Thrift Shop, and Ichigo cracked up as Renji beat on the steering wheel in time with the rhythm and serenaded him, all while jumping lanes like a madman. If Ichigo hadn't been through this too many times to count, he'd probably be one of the gaping fools watching the silver vehicle streak by as the sun set. Ichigo joined in, and neither of them really stopped singing until they were getting off at the Cortaro exit and turning onto Silverbell.

Tucson, Arizona, had become Ichigo's second home and he got a dreamy look in his eyes as they drove through the small community sprouting up around Silverbell Road. Ironically, Daughtry's Home had started playing on the radio, and Renji turned it down as they turned into a quiet neighborhood across the street from a barbeque joint. He stopped at a mailbox across the street from a house Ichigo knew well and grabbed a box from the package compartment, then circled the cul-de-sac once before pulling into the driveway and turning the Jeep off. It hissed and groaned as it settled against its brakes, adding to the complaints the larger truck next to it was giving.

"See? Told ya he'd be home," Renji said as he hopped out of the Jeep, box under his arm and keys in hand, and pulled Ichigo's suitcase from the back. The oranget grabbed his guitar and duffle bag, then motioned for the red-head to lead the way. Renji's ponytail swished as he wandered down the path that led to the front door, shouting at the dog next door to shut up. The door was open, but the screen door was locked. The sounds of a football game on TV danced through the otherwise quiet air, reminding Ichigo just how much he loved it here.

"Oi, Blue, come open the door! My hands are full!" he yelled through the decorated grate.

"Alright, alright! I'm comin'," came a rough reply, sounding like the man had literally _just_ sat down to watch the game.

"Everything's just like ya left it last summer, so all you gotta do is unpack. Oh, and don't gawk at his hair. It pisses him off almost as much as it does you," Renji smiled over his shoulder, then kicked the door. "Sometime today, man! Jesus, he's been traveling for the last day! Don't make him stand out here!"

The door swung open.

"I said I was – …coming." An irritated voice dropped to calm, shocked tone as bright blue met deep brown, eyebrows rising to comical heights. Renji didn't seem to notice as he shrugged past the other man, depositing the items in his arms by the door.

"Don't gawk at his hair, Grimm. It ticks him off. Help him with his stuff, will ya? I'm gonna call for pizza."

"Already did," 'Grimm' replied as he held the door open wider, still watching Ichigo as the shorter man shuffled across the threshold.

"Oh, good. Who's playing?" Renji kicked out of his shoes and nudged them against a wall with his toes.

"I think us and the Steelers." 'Grimm' had closed and locked both doors and was meandering back into the house, much better at recovering than Ichigo was.

"Shit, I'm gonna owe Shinji money tomorrow," Renji grumbled as he dropped onto the tan couch that took up most of the living room.

"Yeah, that's what you get for always betting on the Cards."

"They're my home team, man, whattaya want?"

"Maybe some love for the Saints?"

"Screw that, but Who Dat when they do play."

Ichigo chuckled as he relaxed into the atmosphere. It was no different, just had another person added in. He moved to his room and set his guitar against the wall, dropping the duffle bag on the end of the bed. The room was pretty Spartan-looking now, but give him twenty minutes to unpack and it wouldn't be so bad. Turning around to collect the rest of his stuff, he almost bumped into the blue-haired Saints fan.

"Oop, sorry." He watched as the bluenet set the box down on his dresser with care and lean the teetering suitcase against the nightstand.

"No accent. I take it you're here pretty often, then?"

"Uh, yeah. At least once a year."

"Good deal. Oh, yeah." A tan hand extended. "Grimmjow Jaegerjaques." Ichigo shook the hand, and nodded.

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Oh, I know. Red hasn't shut up about you for weeks. Do you have any idea how excited he gets when you come to town?"

"Do I want to?" Both men laughed, and Ichigo found himself wanting to collapse on the bed and sleep. He glanced longingly at the bed.

"Eh, why dontcha wait until the game's over? Then you can get up at noon with the rest of us tomorrow."

"Sounds good. When's the food gonna get here?" Ichigo's question was accented by a rather disgruntled gurgle from his stomach. Grimmjow snorted and turned to leave, broad shoulders blocking most of the door. Ichigo felt rather… slim, now that he was in a house with two football player-stock men.

"Twenty minutes, more or less. Who scored?"

"Steelers," Renji grunted. Ichigo chuckled and left his room on the other man's heels, turning out the light as he went. Yuzu had been right; he'd be fine.

**Yay, I got the prologue thingy for this done! Alrighty.**

**I don't always bet against the Cardinals, but I'm a diehard Saints fan. o3o Just saying.**

**I'm in familiar territory, since I'm from Arizona. I actually used to live in the area I described. If you look up the streets, you'll find them. :3 If you want to do more research about it, go ahead. I'm not going to go out of my way to, like, describe everything for you. That's a pain in the ass.**

**nationsonline . org (take out the space) has a pretty good summary of Arizona, and has a map. Most of where this will take place will be in the area code 85743, but I'll be sure to name where I take Kubo's babbies if they leave the Marana area. To any other Arizonans out there, I LOVE YOU I'LL BE HOME SOON. /Screams from Texas.**

**I'll describe the setting and Grimmbby and Renj in more detail next chapter. I was more focused on getting Ichibby **_**to**_** the US in this one.**

**Whatcha think? R/R? *makes heart with hands* **

**G'night, lovelies. c: I'll try to update Once-Mortal tomorrow, so don't feel like I'm leaving it out.**

**ONE AND ONLY DISCLAIMER FOR THE ENTIRE FIC: I don't own Bleach: it belongs to Tite Kubo. I only own a copy of Volume 25.**

**Oh, by the way, I made 2,000+ words on this chapter. :'3 I'm so proud of myself. *happy dance* Okay, I'm seriously going to bed now. I have to be up in 4 hours.**


	2. Simple Mornings

**Hey, guys. I've just got a couple of real quick updates and then I'll let ya get on to the story.**

**First off, I want to let you all know that my fics are all going on a temporary hiatus while I catch up on sleep and homework. I'm averaging two hours a night, and I've got a ridiculous work load this week.**

**Secondly, I've got a word goal for each chapter in this fic: 2,000+ words without an AN. It's a challenge for me because if I'm going to get serious about these fics, 600 word chapters just aren't going to cut it. So I'm sorry if it seems kinda disjointed. That's just me getting into the groove.**

**REALLY IMPORTANT UPDATE THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO READ:  
****Thirdly, I'll not be rewriting this. I like it how it is, and really the only bumps are how I described the house. That was my house, literally, and I haven't been there in years. I was doing that off of memory, so I apologize if you have problems getting through it.**

**I think that's it, bedsides the offhand comment that posting new chapters on an iPod is hard. Like, really hard. Anywho, enjoy! -Jayy**

_Bzzzzzzt. Bzzzzzzt. Bzzzzzzt._  
What was that? Ichigo groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers up past his ears.  
_Bzzzzzzt. Bzzzzzzt. Bzzzzzzt. Bzzzzzzt._  
Whatever that was needed to go away, and it needed to hurry the hell up. He irritably stuck a hand out from under the pillow he was cuddling to feel around for the culprit.  
His phone chirped, letting him know he missed a call. The incessant buzzing stopped, and Ichigo relaxed into the easy warmth of his blankets...  
_Bzzzzzzt. Bzzzzzzt. Bzzzzzzt._  
...only to be yanked out of it by some ignorant idiot who didn't understand that he was not answering his phone. He whirled out of his nest of fleece and snagged the damned machine off the nightstand, pressing the answer button as he stalked into the kitchen.  
"Kurosaki," he snapped, crushing the phone between his jaw and his shoulder as he set to making coffee. The clock on the microwave read nine-thirty; he had only gotten roughly eight hours of sleep.  
"When did you plan on telling me you were m-" Shuuhei's voice crackled through the speaker and cut off when Ichigo abruptly hit the end button. He just didn't need that kind of drama this early in the morning.  
The coffee machine gurgled its way toward a full pot as he trudged back to his room, pulling on a pair of sweatpants haphazardly dug out of his suitcase as he looked around the stark room. It was almost alien. He shook his head and decided he would call Karin and Yuzu tonight. A soft chime alerted him to brewed coffee and he skittered out to catch the machine before it started beeping loudly. He made it on the first beep, but didn't remember where the mugs were, so he spent the next ten minutes digging around the cabinets for one. After fruitlessly searching, he resorted to washing one in the sink.  
By now, it was ten. If either of his housemates were home, neither had shown himself, and Ichigo wasn't about to peek into their rooms to check. He glanced around the house from his stance in the center of the living room. The adobe building was closer to a two-bedroom apartment with an office than an actual house, but it was just big enough for the three men living in it. Ichigo's room had the biggest window and shared the front view with the garage. A Bougainvillea blocked a majority of his sunlight, but he didn't mind. It kept the room from getting too hot during the afternoons. Down the hall from Ichigo's room were the laundry room that held the door to the garage, Grimmjow's room, and the guest bathroom. Across the hall, on the other side of the front door, was the master bedroom, where Renji slept. A small circle of space served as a sort of greeting room, with shoes paired and lined up along the walls. It melded into the kitchen-dining-room-living-room ensemble, the only seams being the carpet that marked the living room boundaries. The kitchen and "dining room" - really, it was small table pushed against the wall by the back door - finished off the small feeling. You couldn't honestly fit more than three people in either space at a time, which explained the fold-out tables that currently leaned against the wall by the couch, folded but ready for dinner time - the three ate in the living room most nights, sitting at the table only when things were too messy to eat over the carpet. Renji was a real tightwad about the living room carpet; it was the only carpet in the house that wasn't in a bedroom, so it had better stay clean. The slate tile that covered the rest of the floors was easy to take care of, run a mop over it and you're done. Shag carpet, however, was a real hassle that none of them wanted to deal with.  
Ichigo refilled his coffee and stepped into a pair of sports slippers, sock feet almost sliding right out the front of the shoes - "Shoes," Ichigo grumbled with a halfhearted grin as he slid the glass door open and stepped out onto the small patio.  
It was a five-by-six area just outside the door, tiled like the rest of the house and hidden under an awning and a large tree that Ichigo couldn't identify. The yard ran the width of the house and extended maybe ten feet beyond the tan walls, covered with yellowing grass and housing a small jacuzzi in one corner. A white cinder block wall separated the neighbors' yards from theirs (Ichigo could hear the dogs pacing up and down the length of the wall). A chain-link fence guarded the backyard from critters and idiotic people, a padlocked gate opening into the wash behind the house. Somewhere down the incline that kept the neighborhood safe from flooding, there was a foot-and-bicycle path frequented by the residents of the area. A Mesquite tree stood alone in the corner, dropping its seed pods on the jacuzzi's cover.  
Ichigo closed the screen door behind him and dragged a plastic chair from the patio, situating it so it faced the house to the left of theirs and dropping himself rather unceremoniously into it. He closed his eyes, took a sip from his coffee, and just enjoyed the soft heat of the morning. He remained there until eleven, when Renji's head had poked out the door asking if he was hungry and he realized that the heat was beginning to shift to blistering.  
"Yo, we're gonna go to the Airport for breakfast. You wanna go?" The Airport was a local airport - go figure - that also had a café that served breakfast every day until one, except Sundays on which it was only served until noon. It was one of Ichigo's favorite places to eat aside from Nico's Burritos, Mantis Chinese, and at home.  
"Yeah, lemme get dressed."  
"Oh c'mon, Ich. You know we go in da pajamas." Ichigo chuckled and pulled the chair back into the shade so it wouldn't melt.  
"Okay, correction, lemme go put a shirt on."

*_~/+\~_*

Grimmjow drearily meandered down the hallway, bumping his shoulder on the wall as he made his way to the kitchen. He could hear Renji and the new addition speaking in soft tones, most likely reminiscing about summers past. As far as he knew, Ichigo had spent the last few summers here and had been in that room by the door as long as Renji had owned the house. He even had a white Ford Taurus parked in the garage for when he needed to go somewhere and Renji had the Jeep.  
When Grimmjow had first seen the man, he hadn't fought the idea that the guy was a total pansy. In the fourteen or so hours that had passed since his arrival, Ichigo had slowly but surely disproved that notion. Even after being awake for almost two days straight, the man's resolve to remain awake until the end of the football game had shocked even Renji. He'd eaten half of the pizza, and had even downed the jalapeño that came with it. Grimmjow had grown up forty-five minutes from the Mexican border, but he still couldn't eat peppers. It drove his father nuts.  
Ichigo had been heard rummaging around the kitchen earlier, talking to himself or on the phone. Grimmjow had rolled over and dozed off again, not waking until he was piffed in the face with a stuffed tiger from his desk. That was his invitation to breakfast; Renji let him sleep if they weren't going somewhere. So, he'd dragged himself out of bed and returned the tiger to its place by his laptop, stretched and groaned, then scurried to the bathroom to take care of the usual morning business. By the time he rounded the corner into the kitchen, Renji had pulled his hair into his trademark ponytail and was digging through the fruit bowl for the keys to the Camry. Grimmjow had accidentally found them once when digging through for an apple at the bottom.  
"Where's the... the..." Grimmjow grunted and smacked his palm to his forehead. "Where's Ichigo?"  
"Getting a shirt." They sat in silence for a minute, both looking up when the heels of Ichigo's converse dragged across the floor.  
"Got my keys?"  
"Yep. Grimm's gonna move his truck, and then we'll go."  
"Why do I hafta move the truck?" came Grimmjow's whiney reply. He'd already closed his bedroom door and was too much of a lazy ass to go open it again.  
"'Cos his car's on that side of the garage, and I'm not putting Ichigo in the backseat of the Jeep."  
"So you're gonna fold me into the backseat of a Camry," Grimmjow deadpanned. Renji all but growled at him, visibly straining under the effort of not slapping the other upside the head. Ichigo did it for him.  
"I'm hungry. Put a little 'oomph' in your step before I get grumpy."  
Grimmjow was too stunned to argue as he turned on his heel and went back to his room. The carrot-top had nads, he'd give him that.

*_~/+\~_*

Breakfast had been a casual interrogation from the moment the three piled into the Camry. Renji had simply listened and watched, a knowing grin on his face. Grimmjow was rattling questions off as fast as Ichigo could answer them.  
"Where were you born?"  
"Karakura, Japan."  
"Any siblings?"  
"Two younger sisters."  
"How much younger?"  
"Too young for you."  
"'Ey! Favorite song?" Ichigo hesitated on this one, and Renji knew he was about to give the most aggravating yet satisfying answer ever invented.  
"I love music more than almost anything. To ask me my favorite is like asking me to choose my closest friend; it's an impossible question. Every song has a special meaning to me, just as every friend knows me better in a way another friend might not. In all honesty, though, Adele's _Skyfall_. Her voice is my guilty pleasure."  
"...Music, huh?"  
"Yeah, I went to college for music theory."  
"That's cool. D'ya play any instruments?" Grimmjow was hooked, pulled in by the bluntly philosophical way Ichigo spoke.  
"Mmmmhm," Ichigo hummed and opened his mouth to answer, but was forced to stomp on the brakes when a Hummer forced its way into the lane in front of him. "Fucking asshole! Renji, did you see that shit?"  
"I saw him. Light's red, so don't hit it when he turns."  
"Yeah, I see it. Anyway Grimmjow-"  
"You can call me Grimm too, yannow."  
"I know. I like your whole name though, it sounds so... rich. Like I was saying before that assbutt forgot his signal, I play guitar, piano, and drums. I would include singing on that list, but my dad insists that vocals don't count." Brown eyes met seemingly blank blue ones, then crinkled at the corners as a snicker escaped pink lips. "Did I short his circuits, Renj?"  
"Prob'ly. He's used to people shortening his name on purpose, not wanting to say the whole mouthful. I just say it 'cos I'm lazy."  
"It's not a mouthful. It's a perfectly fine name, and whoever shortens it on purpose needs a kick to the rear. I turn here, right?"  
"Next one," Grimmjow finally grunted.  
"Oh, yeah, duh. It's right there. Jesus, I can never remember where it is."  
Renji glanced over at his shoulder at Grimmjow, who was staring at Ichigo like he was some sort of lost prophet. Apparently, the man had made a stunning debut, maybe simply by stating his love for unique names. All of their friends had one, and he never ever, _ever_, shortened them. Well, Shiro was the exception, but the pale man eagerly returned the favor with the nickname, 'Berry.' Renji sniggered to himself.  
"So why'd ya come to the grand ole USA?"  
"My muse. It's easier for me to express myself here. I'm not... stiff here."  
"Stiff?" Grimmjow asked as they all lifted their long frames from the car, probably looking like a sick remix of the clowns at the circus.  
"It's not so rigid here. If you ever go to Japan, you'll get my meaning. I can't really describe it."  
Renji loudly complained about dying of hunger and the conversation petered to its end, leaving Grimmjow with a rare, thoughtful expression on his face as they entered the diner.


	3. First Birthday

**I don't like writing physical descriptions. It's like, jeezus, you know what the characters are like. But, hey, for my sister's sake. e^e I'm just gonna leave this midnight drabble-esque thing… here. Yeap.**

**Also, soundtrack for this chapter:**

**Strangers Like Me – Phil Collins**

**Son of Man – Phill Collins**

**All songs mentioned…**

**Merp.**

"**We'll follow that trail!"**

"**What trail, Miguel?"**

"**The trail… that we blaze!" … "THAT trail, that we blaze!"**

**Onwards! o3o**

* * *

Grimmjow glanced up at the clock on the microwave; five after nine. He didn't know what had gotten him up so early today. Then Renji bustled out of his room with a muted curse, a thick notebook in one hand, and a card in the other. _Oh. Right. July fifteenth. _Dropping his chin to his collarbone, he pinched the bridge of his nose and tried like hell to remember just what this morning was. It was too early for this…

"You almost forgot, huh?" Renji asked quietly as he set the notebook down and dug around the fruit bowl for a pen. Grimmjow lifted the cover of the book, saw a page with Ichigo's name written in Shakespearean script along with various, obscurely written 'happy birthday' wishes, turned another page, and blinked. It was a notebook for musical composition. It seemed so simple, yet he couldn't think of anything better.

"Did not. Get the card out of my face," he grumbled as he took it from the other's hand. '_Keep swayin' to your own sound' _was scrawled in Renji's angular handwriting under the Hallmark phrase. A pen was held in front of his nose. He had just set the card on the counter to sign it when the Lady Gaga's _Born This Way_ blared from Ichigo's phone on the counter. Grimmjow glanced at the screen.

_Rangiku_ blinked as an incoming call. The ringtone played through twice before the phone chirped and a mail icon appeared next to the battery level.

Grimmjow touched the tip of the pen to the card when the phone started ringing again, this time with Avril Lavigne's _What the Hell_. He looked up at Renji with a rather confused look. The other mouthed 'Shuuhei' and went back to watching Ichigo's door. While the song played, Grimmjow scribbled '_Rock the riff today_' under Renji's signature and put his initials. He looked back up at the clock; ten after nine.

The next God-knows-how-long was spent learning Ichigo's ringtones for his friends. Renji had pulled a barstool and a notepad over to the counter, and was writing each song and trying to guess who it went with. _Party Up _from Starstruck for Shiro, Havana Brown's _We Run the Night_ for Shinji, Phillip Phillip's _Home_ for Ichigo's family, Imagine Dragons' _On Top of the World_ for Keigo, Tim McGraw's _My Best Friend_ for Tatsuki, Guns 'n Roses' _Sweet Child 'O Mine_ for Sado… The guy's taste in music was as eclectic as it was fitting. Renji called Ichigo's phone to check what his was; it was _Stand Out_ from The Goofy Movie, and the look on his face when he recognized it was priceless. Grimmjow was then pestered until he pulled his phone out of his phone and dialed the number. John Rzeznik's _I'm Still Here_ flowed from the speakers as his name appeared on the screen.

"Holy hell, that's his favorite song from Treasure Planet." Renji was staring at the phone like it had moved on its own. Grimmjow was just hanging up when Ichigo trudged out of his room, scratching at his shoulder. He was up almost twenty minutes later than usual.

"Happy birthday!" Renji yelled as he launched himself across the room, catching the half-asleep man in a bear hug that lasted a second too long. Ichigo half-hugged him back and patted his shoulder, still blinking away sleep.

"Hi, thank you," he hummed, voice husky and laced with tired confusion. Ichigo waved at Grimmjow, who waved back and helped extract the man from Renji's grasp. The smallest then set himself to rooting through the kitchen, collecting what the other two recognized as the ingredients for pancakes. Renji almost started rolling around on the floor in giddiness, but thankfully resigned himself to fidgeting excitedly on the stool he'd abandoned. Grimmjow perched on the counter and watched, head tilted, how Ichigo's shoulders contracted and shifted as he went about the business of making food, 'just to shut Renji up.' A certain tension hung over them, but he decided to safely assume it was because today was going to be busy.

"Ichi, I forgot, how old are you now?"

"Twenty-eight, Renj. No, wait. Shit. Twenty-nine, now."

"Twenty-_nine_?" Grimmjow's jaw almost dropped _again_, something it did quite a bit with the new addition. Ichigo was older than him by two years, making him the youngest in the house at twenty-seven. Renji had turned thirty-two not long before Ichigo arrived.

"Mmhm," Ichigo nodded.

"Holy shit."

"Tell me about it. Freaking birthdays keep rolling around like I'm not gonna have too many more." Something about that threw Grimmjow off, but Renji was snickering so maybe he was just being sarcastic. A pancake, still steaming, flew across the room and hit Renji in the face.

"There ya go. You want one, Grimm?"

"Yeah, I'll try one." He was handed one on a paper plate. Ichigo shut the stove off and pushed another plate with a stack of crepe-looking pancakes away from it. He turned and leaned on the counter, picking a pancake apart with his fingers.

"Happy birthday, guys. Please tell me we don't have plans." Renji shook his head, mouth full. Grimmjow stuck a piece in his mouth and fought the urge to hug the man standing across from him. The damn thing was _fucking good._ "Thank gawd. I need a movie marathon or something else where I can sit on my ass all day."

"Movies sound good," Grimmjow mused as he found himself stuck wanting to eat the rest of his pancake whole, but also wanting to make it last.

"Alrighty, then. Where'd ya stash the box of geek movies, Renj?"

"Hall closet, top shelf." Ichigo was already moving. "You've been here three weeks and you haven't found it yet?"

"Watching Rukia's kids doesn't exactly leave much time for Star Trek and Transformers," the other replied, voice muffled by the closet.

"True, true."

"Grimm, I'd grab what you want before Renji makes a move on the plate. You won't see any more until your birthday," Ichigo stated flatly as he padded into the living room with a small moving box in his hands. The two in the kitchen looked at each other and had a rugby match getting across the small space. While they decided who got how many, Ichigo retrieved his phone and listened to all the voicemails that had accumulated over the morning. A small smile had danced across his lips when he listened to the one from home, and grew bigger with every new voice.

"Hey, Shiro's coming over after work later. He said to hold off on Transformers until he gets here."

"Damn, I wanted to watch those first," Renji all but whined, getting ready to drop into a pancake coma when the doorbell rang. Ichigo had barely opened it when said albino burst through it, simultaneously yelling obscenities about the plant in the front yard and wishing Ichigo a 'fucking wonderful morning.' The orange-haired man had doubled over with laughter as soon as ash-white hair had appeared over the threshold, watery voice preceding it.

"Guess we get to watch 'em first," Grimmjow nudged Renji in the side, watching Shiro fuss over a beet-red Ichigo trying to catch his breath.

"Guess so," Renji smiled. "It's his first birthday here, if you were wondering. He usually waits until after to visit. Remind me to give him the book before he passes out later."

"If I don't pass out first."

"The hell d'ya mean, you moved here?! When the hell was I going to know, Berry?!" Shiro had his hands on his hips and his nose pressed to Ichigo's, who had his arms crossed over his chest. Though they were yelling, there were smiles on their faces.

"As soon as I felt like telling you!"

"Not good enough!"

"Too bad!"

Grimmjow snorted and maneuvered past them to shut the door. Today was going to busy, but not in the way he'd originally anticipated, and it was already off to what looked like a great start. Man, birthdays were the best.


	4. IMPORTANT!

**Hey, guys.  
This isn't really a chapter, and it's posted on all of my in-progress fics because it's really important.**

**All of my fics and I are going on a hiatus from which I have no idea when I will return. I don't mean to leave you all hanging; I hate when it happens to me. But I can't keep up with my stories right now. My reasons are kinda personal, but I think that, as faithful readers that read every scrap of paper that I post, you deserve to know why I'm leaving.**

**I don't mean to guilt trip or put my problems on any of you, but my main reason is because my dad left Wednesday morning and I can't cope. Like, at all. I've been crying more than my sister does on her period. (She wanted you all to know that "fuck ovaries" is her new catchphrase, by the way.)**

**My other reason is because I do this thing called "writing backwards." Basically, I write the first chapter, sometimes the first two, and then I write the story from the end to the beginning. It's a lot easier for me than writing all the way from point A to point B. I think the reason why I dislike the quality of In the Name of Faith so much is because I've been writing forwards rather than backwards. The same goes for Once-Mortal and American Misadventures.**

**Now, I'm not saying that I'm giving my stories up; no way, I put time I could've been doing homework into these. I just need a little time to get everything written.**

**I honestly couldn't keep writing without all of the people who are always there, reading and reviewing my stuff. You guys rock, and I truly appreciate it. I love you.**


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